Gay Man Arrested Again in Texas for Requesting a Marriage License for the Second Time

Now, who’s religious freedom and liberty are actually under attack? Where is Sarah Palin and Mike Huckabee to stand up against such tyranny? Who is actually in jail and who is actually shoving chicken sandwiches down their throats playing victim and pretending to be martyrs?

From GetEqual:

Minutes ago, Major Jiminez was arrested in Dallas, Texas, after being refused a marriage license with his partner, Beau Chandler. Major and Beau rose to national prominence a month ago when they first went to the marriage counter on July 5 and were refused a marriage license. Both men sat down in the line and refused to move, resulting in both being arrested. Today was their initial hearing in that case and, after the hearing, they returned to the marriage counter again.

Major and Beau, with the support of GetEQUAL Texas — the Texas-based chapter of GetEQUAL, a national civil rights organization that uses direct action and civil disobedience to push for full equality for lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender (LGBT) Americans — went to court this morning for an initial hearing on charges stemming from their arrests on July 5. The men faced fines of up to $2,000 each and up to 180 days in jail. Their hearings this morning were pushed back to later dates, and the men returned to the marriage counter — again requesting a license.

The men were again denied a marriage license, as the state of Texas maintains a state constitutional amendment barring same-sex couples from marrying. They were told to go to the lobby, outside of the service area, and that they would not be issued a license. While Beau elected to comply in order to ensure the he would keep his job, Major elected to sit down and refuse to move — resulting in a second arrest. At this time, the charges against Major are not known.

“Yesterday, people came out in force to eat chicken and support hatred,” said Major Jiminez. “Today, I am being thrown in jail because of who I love. How can our lawmakers and courts sit by and do nothing?”

About the Author

Wayne Besen is the Founding Executive Director of Truth Wins Out and author of “Anything But Straight: Unmasking the Scandals and Lies Behind the Ex-Gay Myth” (Haworth, 2003). In 2010, Besen was awarded the “Visionary Award” at the Out Music Awards for organizing the American Prayer Hour, an event which shined a spotlight on the role American evangelicals played in the introduction of Uganda’s Anti-Homosexuality Bill.

Wayne, you’re usually a pretty sensible guy whom I have admired – but now from where I stand way out in BFE, Texas, seems like you’re just getting silly. “Under attack” – “tyranny” – really, Wayne? The only thing that’s changed this week from last week it that these two guys – again, knowing the same result would occur – decided to make a small, quiet protest.

That’s it. Nobody’s tracked them down, hauled them out of bed with dogs and flashlights at 4 a.m., the SWAT team hasn’t been activated, no helicopters zooming overhead.

I have suffered as much or more than anyone else at the hands of homophobes all across my native Southland, which does not have a record to be proud of. But Wayne, it does seem that the “gay community” has totally come unglued, lost its s**t over one more rich a*****e shooting his mouth off.

Proportion, please, and some balance too. Can we all get along here – and get a f*****g grip? Are your words truly helping change anyone’s mind here? Or just pouring gasoline on the fire?

Think it over, man. Lots of people listen to you.

Evan HurstAugust 3, 2012 at 7:28 am -

I wouldn’t do what they did. Just something to grab headlines…

Wayne BesenAugust 3, 2012 at 8:35 am -

Russ writes: Under attack” – “tyranny” – really, Wayne? The only thing that’s changed this week from last week it that these two guys – again, knowing the same result would occur – decided to make a small, quiet protest.

But Russ, maybe the problem is that we have accepted that the way things were last week are permissible or somehow acceptable when they are not. Maybe we shouldn’t just accept that what happened last week should be the law this week. Had it not been for civil disobedience the civil right movement would not have gone anywhere.

And it absolutely is a form of tyranny when a bunch of religious fundamentalists get together to pass laws outlawing our relationships. A man was put in a cage in the USA because he requested a marriage liscence. Now you think about that for a minute. He did not steal. He did not harm anyone. He did not kill anyone. Yet he was handcuffed and arrested for wanting to marry the person he loves. This IS a big deal. Just because it was done yesterday does not make it okay today.

I’ll be the first to admit getting married has changed my views. The federal government does NOT recognize my marriage, meaning my family is both vulnerable and gets taxed unfairly – a sort of gay tax. If I had kids, they would be at increased risk. If I left Vermont for a job in Texas, Jamie and I go from being married to being mere friends in the eyes of the law. This in discriminatory, it is unjust, it is unfair, it is unAmerican.

Choosing not to accept this blatant discrimination is not coming unglued. It is a reasonable, logical, and rational reaction to not being able to protect my family as my heterosexual friends are able to protect theirs.

The Religious Right is correct in one respect. Family Values actually matter. And I will fight like hell without apology to protect my family. The problem we have is that only one guy got arrested. We should have had 3 million gays at marriage bureaus getting arrested. And another three million straight allies there to cheer us on.

And, Evan, why wouldn’t you do what they did? Are you pleased with the laws in Tennessee that make you a second class citizen? So, you say it was a publicity stunt. So was Rosa Parks on the bus and the folks at the counter at Woolworths. Publicity stunts get publicity which creates friction, which creates change. Things never change on their own. If you are comfortable with yesterday, and today, expect the same tomorrow.

Now, this guy who got arrested is not Rosa Parks and our situation is not like the old south for African Americans…but we do suffer. And when do we suffer? When we are most vulnerable — a child or partner gets sick or dies. When we get slammed with tax bills straight couples don’t get. When we don’t have health care because our relationships are not recognized. When we lose that job or home because we are gay.

The problem we have is that many of us pass, which gives us freedom from discrimination on a daily basis. But then, when we are most vulnerable, WHAM, the laws of the land catch up to us and spank us — putting us and our family in their place.

You see, I simply will not accept my place.

Now, think about this one more time. Hard. Publicity stunt or not — a man in a supposedly free country was arrested for wanting to marry the person he loved.

We all need to get a grip — on a protest sign to abolish our second class citizenship. You may not feel it on a daily or weekly basis — but it exists and such injustice must be abolished in our lifetimes. That is my commitment to my family. We should all make that same commitment.

I don’t think that people living in Texas and Tennessee fully understand the weight of the yoke they endure because they have not tasted freedom. (Yes, they understand the pain of discrimination better than most, but not the incredible empowerment of what it’s like to have that yoke lifted) Once you have, you won’t look at this issue the same way because you will completely understand the second class status in which you live. Ponder this for a moment: Jamie and I woke up, we walked a few blocks to city hall. We asked for a marriage license. We were warmly congratulated by the clerk and referred to an incredibly supportive justice of the peace. We went home legally married — the best day of our lives.

The guy in Texas was taken to the hoose gow. He didn’t go home married. It wasn’t the happiest day of his life. He was placed in a cage.

What Wayne is suggesting is the basis of every social justice movement in the history of the world. We got where we are because of similar selfless action on the part of even more oppressed members of our own minority.

I would point to the Stonewall “girls” — I’ve seen the last few of them, dancing on the floats at NY pride years ago. I honor them. Their courage, their bravery, their determination changed the world.

That’s what it always takes.

Reyn

EddyAugust 3, 2012 at 9:33 pm -

Oh Wayne.. your post gave me chills…Bravo!

DaveTheWaveAugust 4, 2012 at 11:06 am -

” tracked them down, hauled them out of bed with dogs and flashlights at 4 a.m., the SWAT team hasn’t been activated, no helicopters zooming overhead.”

This is exactly what the wacko right wing religionistas would LOVE to see happen to gay people, and if they get their way it will happen. They will come for someone else when they are finished with the LGBT community. Fascism always seeks a scapegoat before it fizzles out, which it always does, when it is seen for what it is.

MerlynAugust 5, 2012 at 5:13 am -

Agreed, DaveTheWave. The right would hound us, hunt us, arrest us, imprison us, and if they could get away with it, execute us. We underestimate these people at our own peril.

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